French Open 2018: Zverev survives another scare, Djokovic in last 16

 

PARIS, France – German second seed Alexander Zverev saved a match point in coming back to defeat Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur in 5 sets to reach the French Open 4th round on Friday, June 1, while former champion Novak Djokovic made the last 16 of a Grand Slam for the 43rd time.

World number 29 Dzumhur also served for the match in the 4th set, but Zverev clung on and claimed a 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 victory.

Zverev, 21, who is seen as the main threat to Rafael Nadal’s expected coronation as champion for an 11th time, endured a nightmare outing on Court Philippe Chatrier that lasted almost 4 hours.

He hit 73 unforced errors, dropped serve 8 times and served up 7 double faults.

He had to save a match point in the 10th game of the decider before breaking and holding to make the last 16 for the first time where he will face either French 15th seed Lucas Pouille or Russia’s Karen Khachanov.

The match between Pouille and Khachanov was one of two men’s matches not completed as rain curtailed play at 1910 local time (1710 GMT), before being called off for the evening an hour later with the Russian leading 6-3, 7-5, 1-1.

“It was an amazing, high level match,” said Zverev after his first-ever win on Chatrier.

“It was the first time I have won on this court and I hope there are many more to come.”

Zverev, who also had to fight back from two sets to one down in the second round against Serbian Dusan Lajovic, is looking to become the first German man to win the title since 1937.

But he has never reached a Grand Slam quarter-final, although the longer best-of-5 format has worked twice in his favour now at Roland Garros.

Djokovic battles through 

Djokovic claimed a hard-fought 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 victory over a grieving Roberto Bautista Agut.

The 31-year-old former world number one struggled at times on Suzanne Lenglen court, but eventually came through the 4-set battle in 3 hours and 48 minutes.

Djokovic has now made the last 16 of a Slam for the 43rd time, tying Jimmy Connors on the all-time list, second only to Roger Federer’s tally of 60.

Djokovic, seeded 20 after struggling to find his best form since returning from an elbow injury, will take on Fernando Verdasco for a last-8 place after the Spaniard knocked out 4th seed Grigor Dimitrov.

The Serbian has now made the second week at Roland Garros for the last 9 years in a row.

Mother’s death

Bautista Agut was playing in Paris despite the death of his mother last week.

“Fours hours for the match, I’m a bit tired, Bautista Agut plays with too much patience for me, but I’m very happy to have won the match,” said Djokovic.

The 34-year-old Verdasco inflicted an early exit on Dimitrov, with the Spaniard winning 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-4 in his 350th clay-court match.

Bulgarian Dimitrov, a two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist, has still never reached the second week at Roland Garros in 8 attempts.

“You have to draw the line and, you know, look for the next chapter,” said the world number 5.

Sports science doctorate

Japan’s Kei Nishikori made short work of home hope Gilles Simon as he cruised into the 4th round for the 5th time.

The 28-year-old, seeded 19 in his first Grand Slam since Wimbledon last year after struggling with a wrist injury, saw off Simon 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.

Nishikori will next play Austrian Dominic Thiem, the only man to beat Nadal on clay this year, after the 7th seed beat Italian Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2.

In the women’s draw, Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki eased past Frenchwoman Pauline Parmentier 6-0, 6-3.

The second seed, a quarter-finalist in Paris last year, will face Daria Kasatkina for a place in the last 8 after the Russian beat Maria Sakkari 6-1, 1-6, 6-3.

US Open runner-up Madison Keys saw off Japanese 21st seed Naomi Osaka 6-1, 7-6 (9/7), setting up a last-16 tie with 31st seed Mihaela Buzarnescu.

Buzarnescu, a 30-year-old Romanian with a doctorate in sports sciences who had never won a Grand Slam match before this week, downed Ukraine’s fourth seed Elina Svitolina with a shock 6-3, 7-5 victory. – Rappler.com